We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 Optimas Awards for exemplary achievements in workforce management. It has been a challenging time for many of our winners, which have found innovative ways to do more with less and meet the demands of a changing economy head on. For A to Z Machine Co., a manufacturer based in Wisconsin, the dearth of skilled workers led company leaders to partner with local high schools in promoting a youth apprenticeship program.

At Sodexo Inc., where diversity is a top priority, the fact that most minorities access the Internet through their phones sparked the development of a job-search mobile phone app. Another Optimas winner, Etisalat Misr, Egypt's third-largest mobile network operator, managed to both cut costs and improve morale during a time of political and economic turmoil.

This year's winner for General Excellence is ChildNet, a not-for-profit child-welfare agency in Florida that accomplished a dramatic turnaround in its culture and finances thanks to a series of initiatives to improve employee morale.

We congratulate all the winners for their efforts and their bottom-line results, and we encourage companies with innovative workplace management strategies to enter next year's Optimas competition.

For the way it transformed itself into a top child-welfare agency so quickly, ChildNet is the winner of the 2012 Optimas Award for General Excellence.
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For its new organizational culture and collaborative business efforts, Memorial Hospital of Union County is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Corporate Citizenship.
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For its creative People First initiative designed to engage employees and drive business growth, Safelite AutoGlass is the winner of the 2012 Optimas Award for Competitive Advantage.
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For the company's business success, Etisalat Misr is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Financial Impact.
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For its efforts to break down barriers, HCL Technologies is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Global Outlook.
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For its pioneering work in using analytics to manage workforce issues, ATK is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Innovation.
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For its success in integrating new employees from around the globe, Infosys BPO is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Managing Change.
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For its innovative program that teaches high school students the skills required by today's manufacturing industry, A to Z Machine Co. is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Partnership.
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For empowering employees to shape their own careers and identify opportunities for development, Veterans Affairs Learning University is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Service.
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For developing mobile recruitment strategies to stay ahead of the curve and attract diverse candidates, Sodexo is the 2012 winner of the Optimas Award for Vision.
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